FS1's Colin Cowherd shared his honest opinion about the San Francisco 49ers as an organization during the Kyle Shanahan era, and he didn't pull any punches. With the team's season spiraling out of control, it looks like Shanahan may finish with a losing record for the fourth time in his five years as a head coach.
San Francisco has lost four straight games. Instead of fighting for an NFC West title, as many predicted, the 49ers are fighting with the Seattle Seahawks to stay out of last place in the division.
Many words describe the Niners' 2021 campaign. Disappointing. Embarrassing. Shanahan understands the situation.
"Yeah, you lose four games in a row, I'm the head coach of this team, I expect [criticism], and I deserve it," Shanahan said after Sunday night's 30-18 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. It was a game that many, including Cowherd, probably felt the Niners had no business losing.
"Think about this," Cowherd said while discussing the Colts (h/t to Alex Didion of NBC Sports). "They're a dome team. They played in a monsoon. They were on the road. West coast. Late night. Big TV game. They had major injuries on their offense. They had ugly turnovers early. And yet, they played a brilliant second half. They don't coach scared. They overcome injuries. Frank Reich and this organization rolled the dice on Carson Wentz. He has been terrific."
"There was every reason for the Colts to lay down last night.. We need to stop lumping the 49ers in with the great teams."
— @ColinCowherd on Kyle Shanahan and San Francisco following 4th straight loss: pic.twitter.com/a1hD41RvpF
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) October 25, 2021
Many saw the 49ers as a destination. It's an organization that many believed had a strong culture and a brilliant coaching staff. As a result, San Francisco was often lumped into the conversations discussing the elite NFC teams, the contenders. Last season's disappointing season was seen as a fluke, a year marred by injuries.
Maybe it was 2019's Super Bowl run campaign that was the outlier. Cowherd believes that perhaps this is just who the 49ers are under this regime.
"Kyle Shanahan's record now is worse than Mike Singletary's," Cowherd noted. "They're 1-10 at home in the last two years."
Cowherd ran through the typical excuses.
George Kittle is hurt.
"He's always hurt," Cowherd said.
Jimmy Garoppolo is coming off an injury.
"He's always coming off an injury," Cowherd said.
The secondary is beaten up and not playing well.
"That's who you are," Cowherd said. "The secondary is always beat up, and it hasn't been great in four years. They can't solve it."
Then you have the rest of the NFC West. Cowherd argues that it's tough to find any area where the 49ers might be better than their division rivals. He feels the Rams are a better organization with a better roster, fewer draft mistakes, and a better quarterback. In fact, of the four starting quarterbacks in the NFC West, Garoppolo is probably the worst.
Cowherd feels Arizona has more momentum right now and has been better at adding key free agents. The Seahawks may not be doing well right now, but they will eventually get Russell Wilson back.
"San Francisco in their own division, organizationally, roster, they're fourth of four," Cowherd adds. "... And I don't know what it is. This is not a shot at Kyle Shanahan, but he's a very rigid personality, and I watched that team last night. They are coached rigidly. They coach scared.
"Listen, if you're going to coach that way with Jimmy Garoppolo, play Trey Lance, what's the point? What is the point?"
On Monday, Shanahan confirmed with reporters that Garoppolo would be the team's Week 8 starter against the Colts.
"Organizationally, the 49ers have had too many whiffs in the draft," Cowherd continued, "haven't hit on all their free agents. We've got to stop lumping them in with the great teams, just got to keep [Shanahan] off the great coach, great organization, great roster, enough. In their own division, they are [fourth] of four. Worst quarterback, [and] you can make an argument now, worst roster."